Labán – Quién da Más

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Quién da Más is the second single from Mexico City based artist, Labán and is part of his debut album, Todos Somos Dueños de Aquí. The lyrics are in Spanish but deal with a subject that people from all walks of life could relate to. The central theme is the frustration one experiences from not being able to do the things that make them happy. Most of us at one time or another have found ourselves stuck in a dead end job or suffocating relationship, unable to pursue our dreams. The artist finds salvation in the fantasy of leaving things behind and taking to the road, willing to be at peace with the outcome.

Musically, Quién da Más is a mellow and contemplative jam. The song has a delightfully delicate construction, with groovy guitars and a steady drum beat providing the ambiance. The track is ultimately driven by Labán’s vocals though, which are casual in tone yet emotionally expressive. His soft spoken voice has a calming, reassuring effect even as it delivers words which convey frustration. Everything comes together very cohesively, and it’s clear that Labán took his time to get all the pieces to fit just right. Nothing about this recording feels rushed. Production quality is pretty solid, and the vocal/guitar/drum mix has everything in its proper proportions.

I highly recommend taking a look at the video for this track. In addition to being a decent, artfully done music video, it also features a lot of great urban visual scenery (mainly in terms of architecture) from what appears to be the streets of Mexico City.

Labán is obviously a talented individual who cares about his craft. Refreshingly, Quién da Más is free of ego-centrism and aggression. Rather, the song is an authentic chronicling of genuine relatable experience, communicated to the listener both in musical tone and lyrical substance. You should check out his other songs if you get the chance. There’s more where this came from.

For more info:

https://open.spotify.com/track/4TpJR1qxGjDwYxj1yUezRh?si=lzTzQbWZTNKYGApIJH8lCw

https://itunes.apple.com/mx/album/qui%C3%A9n-da-m%C3%A1s-single/1451434280
https://www.facebook.com/elbuenlaban/
https://twitter.com/elbuenlaban
https://www.instagram.com/elbuenlaban/

RED RED LIPS – My Own Thing

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My Own Thing is a new single from RED RED LIPS, taken from the group’s recently released, self titled EP. It’s tough to even know where to begin, but this song delivers on multiple levels. The sass driven, “girl power” vocals are absolutely perfect, reminiscent of indie legends like Le Tigre, occasionally utilizing creative processing in the vein of bands such as Garbage. The backing music consists of assertive guitars (which totally rock,) basically a female garage band sound with extra polished production. The band isn’t relying on marketing gimmickry or smoke and mirrors. This is competent and solid rock’n’roll music, with no corners cut. As you might have guessed, My Own Thing is about “doing your own thing,” feeling empowered and taking charge of one’s own destiny. Not only is the song good quality, but it’s very catchy (particularly the Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh… part.) If this band ever sells out like Of Montreal, I could see this song in a restaurant commercial or something. My Own Thing is epic, and that’s why I’m giving it a more enthusiastic review than what I normally give on here. Be sure and check out the video also, which includes a hodpodge of aesthetics (including vaporwave) and is engaging in its own right.

For more info:

https://www.redredlipsmusic.com/
https://redredlips.bandcamp.com/releases

Carolee Rainey – Sacrifice

sacrifice_carolee_rainey

Sacrifice is a new release from singer/songwriter, Carolee Rainey. Her sound is very organic, blending quality production with a grass roots indie style. One listen to Sacrifice though and you can tell she is an excellent, professional singer. Carolee can do amazing things with her voice, and just as importantly, she sings with passion. You get the sense that she feels a deep emotional connection with the content of her songs, projecting an authenticity which resonates with the listener. Sacrifice mixes elements of pop, R&B, blues and classic rock. The best way to describe the style is that it is like a “coffee house” activist version of Fleetwood Mac, brimming with an empowering (she also has a song called Empower) yet honest emotional energy. You can check out this jam below on Spotify, and I recommend you do.

For more info:

https://caroleeraineytunes.com

Wavii – GOLD

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GOLD is a melodic new single from Wavii (co-founder of the Yonkers, NY based collective The Fly Go Gettaz.) It’s a solid effort, rhythmically tight with a musically lustrous backing beat. This track makes good use of alternating speeds and lyrical pacing. There are a lot of “start-stop-fast-slow” transitions, which are handled flawlessly. I actually found myself boppin’ along with this jam. There are more effects on the vocals than what I’m used to, but the rapping itself is stellar, really a nice flow and crisp delivery throughout. I enjoyed the backing istrumentals as well, which reminded me a bit of older Wu-Tang style beats. Anyway, I’m sure Wavii and The Fly Go Gettaz are just getting started and will have all kinds of good stuff coming down the pike.

For more info:

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/gold-single/1450507214
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wavii___/?hl=en

Profound Voices of Women Throughout the Movement – Shavonda Robinson

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Profound Voices of Women Throughout the Movement is a poetry chapbook from author and award winning songwriter, Shavonda Robinson. The book utilizes poetry as a means for chronicling experiences with activism. It deals with intense emotions, including despair. There’s a recurring motif of “the three black women” as much of the events are presented through their eyes. The poems typically convey a kind of patient stoicism, as the women often find themselves in chaotic, even violent situations while retaining a calmly defiant attitude. While the poems seem to present in straightforward, assertive declarations, what make the book touching is how the author displays humility. Rather than fronting with nonstop bluster and bravado, she readilt reveals her fears, insecurities and doubts to the reader. This gives the book a deeper sense of authenticity and humanizes the experience. By her allowing us in, we feel as though we’re right in the thick of things as some of the events take place. The book evokes empathy, and I found it to be an engaging and worthwhile read.

The book is available here:
https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=Dp2DDwAAQBAJ

Cumlaude – Goals 2

goals2

Goals 2 is a brand new hip hop album from Cumlaude. It comes stacked with 10 dreamy jams. I say dreamy because these songs have a wonderfully deep, dipping wet reverb / echo that gives the vocals an ethereal character. I really dig the minimalist, often sporadic beats as well, which evoke an image of a dark room and meditative contemplation. My favorite songs on this album are High and Coco Blue, which are both creative and artful mini-masterpieces. I don’t know much about the background of this artist, but this is a case where I don’t need to. The music speaks for itself. This is high quality, artful hip hop and I know it when I hear it.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/goals-2/1453858579

https://open.spotify.com/album/7IZJBLp49jUk9yPWlfoyso

Love Ghost – Mr. Blue

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Bearing no resemblance to The Fleetwoods’ 1959 song of the same name, Mr. Blue is a new single from alt-rock band, Love Ghost. Guitarist and lead vocalist Finnegan Bell looks a bit like Alex Winter from Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure and does an excellent job of providing an authentically alternative crooner’s sound. The backing music rocks hard with Ryan Stevens (bass and background vocals) and Samson Young (drums) and is accentuated by hauntingly melodic synth vibes, (courtesy of keyboard player Mya Greene.) Like the band’s numerous other releases, Mr. Blue comes off as serious and polished production wise (this particular jam was produced by Carl Restivo.) It has a very “LA slick” and radio friendly sound, while still retaining enough organic and creative elements to maintain indie credibility with more avant garde audiences. It’s also refreshingly very clear. There are no aggressive filters being applied or any annoying overprocessing of the vocals. The vibrato synth parts are my favorite aspect of this song though. They really add another dimension to the music, giving it a darker, mysterious sort of intensity and separating it from what I would associate with more traditional alternative music.

Expect to hear a lot more about this up and coming band. They sound very tight and cohesive together. This is a group that has all their ducks in a row and is poised to hit the jackpot with one of these releases, maybe even this one.

For more info:

Website: https://www.loveghost.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loveghost_official

SAMUEL YURI – Nuvens Claras (Instrumental)

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Samuel Yuri’s new instrumental track Nuvens Claras is mellow and hypnotically meditative. That’s not to say this guitar and drum driven jam doesn’t rock though. The song is just peppy and assertive enough to give you some motivation. As it relates abstractly to the clouds, this is mood music for the optimistic daydreamer whose just come through a rough patch of turbulent times. Nuvens Claras has a good old fashioned quality. The result is a mindful foray into stripped down, musical innocence, and it’s quite enjoyable to listen to.

For more info:

Official Site: www.samuelyuri.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/SamuelYuriMusician

Twitter: www.twitter.com/SamuelMusician

Martin Brothers – Dynamite

MB_MG_9121

Dynamite is a new single from the Martin Brothers, a DJ and producer duo. Their aesthetic is a kind of 80s LA night club influenced, dreamy dance pop. True to the title, the song Dynamite makes recurring use of the “explosive” motif, with lyrics like You make my heart go boom boom boom. We could blow up the moon moon moon. You get the idea. The track has a sparkling, synthed out retro backing, while the female pop vocalist delivers the catchy lines. This song really is catchy, too. I only listened to it a couple of times, and it got stuck in my head. Dynamite has all the ingredients of a potential pop hit: distinct lyrical theme, awesome beat, and charismatic female vocals. The could be described as a cross between Katy Perry’s Firework and The Beepers’ Video Fever. The Martin Brothers brothers already have a number of other releases under their belt and seem to be on the right track artistically towards reaching the next level.

For more info:

https://www.martinbrothersmusic.com/

TIO – Monster

monster

Monster is a new single from Nashville based hip hop artist, TIO. This track is set to be part of a full album titled The Age of Christ (which will be forthcoming at a later date.) The first thing I noticed about Monster is that this jam has one of the coolest beats I’ve ever heard in rap music. It’s robotic and minimalist and just has a really sweet retro-futuristic sound, like you’re in a spacecraft’s control room. The song does a good job of gradually building up like an amusement park ride, and when it finally kicks in you can really feel the full effect. The same is true with TIO’s delivery, which starts off slow and casual-like as he humbly rants about his struggles and frustrations. Then he kicks into high gear. and you realize this guy’s got it. True to the title, he let’s a little bit of the monster out, like a rattlesnake giving off a warning. Really a solid jam, and it left me feeling impressed with TIO’s songwriting ability and theatrical performance instincts.

For more info:

Website: http://mctio.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/page/205412749484247
Reverbnation: https://www.reverbnation.com/mctio